The two-week closure of Rutherglen Post office has raised concerns amongst the town’s senior citizens, as the busy Main Street outlet is scheduled for refurbishment.

But they say the planned improvements at the Send and Spend store are welcome.

Royal Mail confirmed last week that it will close its office at 217 Main Street on February 4 as the counter is revamped under a major investment programme.

During the closure Rutherglen customers will be asked to use the Post Office’s other outlets in Burnside and Toryglen.

Adele Molloy, chairwoman of Rutherglen Senior Citizens Forum, said the Burnside office was very small to deal with all the additional customers.

“The Rutherglen Post Office is well used ,” Mrs Molloy said. “It will be missed.

“The one at Burnside is not that big, it only has space for a couple of assistants, if they are getting more business from Rutherglen it will be very busy.

“I’m sure there’s still a lot of [senior citizens] that bank with the post office, asides from getting their pension there.”

She added: “There used to be one in Bankhead so people all over Bankhead have to come through to Rutherglen. If that one is closed, even if it is just for a fortnight, it’s further for people to get to. Burnside is all uphill too so they would have to get the bus.”

When customers return to the revamped Main Street Post Office on February 17 they will find four counter positions, two new style open-plan counters, one secure fortress position and a combi-counter, where the Post Office terminal will sit alongside the retail till.

The branch will open from 9am to 5:30pm Monday to Saturday, with selected Post Office services available from the retail counter during shop opening hours, which are 8am to 7:30pm Monday to Saturday and 8am to 6pm on Sunday.

With an additional 32 hours service across the week, customers will have greater access to things such as international parcels, special delivery, local collect and home shopping returns.

Mrs Molloy added: “Anything they did to it would make it more appealing.

“It’s not really a very good place to have a post office. It’s at the back of a grocery shop that sells everything. It’s right at the back and there’s usually half a dozen folk waiting.”

Damian Mulholland, Post office area manager, said: “We are making it easier for customers to get their cash, send and collect their mail and do their banking because we know how important these services are to local residents.”

He added: “We are confident that this vibrant new-style Post Office at the heart of the local community will meet customer needs. This modernisation is part of a major investment programme, the largest in the history of the Post Office and will secure services for the future. The investment marks a commitment to no more branch closure programmes.”